Psalm 119

Today we begin a new series in 119th chapter of Psalms. In order to get us started thinking about God’s awesome Word I have a few pastoral perspective that I’d like us to consider.

First of all, as those who belong to Christ it is very easy to drift into a type of Christian obedience that is void of joy, passion, zeal, and delight. We should know something of duty, perseverance, and faithfulness. However, the drifting tide often takes into seasons loyalty without love… of duty without delight… of ritual without relishing. Before long we grow weary, we give up, we loose heart. Sometimes, we will even try to continue walking in obedience but that obedience is somehow separated from what Jesus said, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Sadly, many of us find ourselves trying to obey God’s commands but trudging forward in a state of numbing lifelessness. We just keep on keeping on.

Psalm 119 will help us recover the breath of life. The chapter will refocus are hearts, heads, and hands concerning the law of the Lord. The truth that will come gushing from these verses will replace the grunt of obedience with the glory of grace. Psalm 119 will preserve the passion to freely obey God’s awesome word.

Illustration: By way of illustration I imagine a great canyon. On one side of the canyon is Christian orthodoxy. On the other side is Christian obedience. Christian orthodoxy would be all of the faithful, truthful, rightly interpreted beliefs we hold about the Scriptures. For example, if you are a member of Hillcrest you have agreed to this orthodox statement about the Scriptures from our commitment. (Read )

However, on the other side of the canyon is our actual obedience to the Word of God. For a variety of reasons in between these two cliffs we find a great gulf. That gulf is flooded with the rapids of inconsistency. It has rigged rocks of persistence without peace. The faces of the unclimbable canyon walls are slick with anxiety and contain no footholds of awe.

What we are often faced with is the great chasm of what we say we believe about God’s Word and then our true obedience. At best, our obedience is stiff and stagnate, and at worst is is only a display of dead works.

Psalm 119 will help us cross this canyon. The passionate and prayerful truth from this Psalm will help bridge the divide. It will teach us about God’s laws. It will align us to the right response toward God’s statutes. It will correct us concerning God’s promises. It will train us to run the race of faith with joy.

Transition: Even as I've been preparing for this series I have been constantly made aware of the great need in my own heart for a renewal of passionate delight in God’s word. So lets pause for a moment and seeks God’s help as we begin today. (I want to share a few observations from Psalm 119 in order to give an overview of the chapter.)

1. Structure

It is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses.

The chapter is divided by an alphabetical acrostic. (explain)

Example: Psalm 119:1-8

Why is this important?

Transition: Illustration: pearl necklace pic . Point being that each individual stanza holds a unique and deliberate significance, and together all 22 form a magnificent and immaculate necklace about the awesome Word of God.

2. Theme

The repeated theme throughout Psalm 119 is the Word of God. When we read Psalm 119 we are seeing a snap shot of a man who is in right relationship to God, who is reading the written word of God, and expressing his deepest emotions about what he is reading; and all the while he is unaware that we are watching! Spurgeon commented that this psalm “might well be called the holy soul’s soliloquy before an open Bible.”

There are basically 8 words that are repeated through the entire 176 verse that highlight different aspects of the word of God. I’m just going to mention them this morning and then as we study through the chapter we’ll dig into each one a little deeper.

Statutes (vs. 33)

Law (vs.34)

Commandments (vs. 35)

Testimonies (vs. 36)

Ways (vs.37)

Promise (vs. 38)

Rules/decrees (vs.39)

Precepts (vs.40)

Psalm 119 carries the tone of a believer who is wrestling with the word of God. It is a prayer full of praises and protests. It is certainly a personal and dialogue with the Lord but it is also set before the public eye. It is not an isolated poem of a man who hides away in dusty dim lit room and has no interaction with the real world. No, rather is is the thoughtful yet raw expression of a follower of God who passionately desires to obey God and see his word honored in the lives of those around him. It is written from the perspective of one who is consumed with the awesome word of God. Psalm 119 captures the mind and heart of a man who has lived enough of life to know that God’s word is superior to every other word that surrounds him.

Transition: This takes us to our final observation.

3. Jesus

a. Ultimately, Psalm 119 points us to Jesus. Jesus embodies this Psalm. He is the incarnate word who became flesh and dwelt among us. He is the alpha and omega. He obeyed God’s laws perfectly. In as much as Psalm 119 celebrates the joyful obedience to God’s commands so we find in Christ the only one who has accomplished this perfectly. For example we read in John 8:28-29 where Jesus said;

John 8:28–29 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

b. In the full obedience of Christ we find the bridge to passover our canyon of inconsistency. In Christ we find the power to obey God’s laws with delightful duty. In Christ we find the fire to set our souls aflame with glorious obedience to God’s written word. In Christ we find the breath of life for our dry and dead works.

c. We will certainly spend more time on this in the weeks to come but it is necessary to bring up an important question at this point. What role does God’s word,law, statutes, testimonies, etc.. have in the life of a Christian? We will find the answer to that question in Christ.

Conclusion: I offer a final observation as we conclude.

One of the things that we will discover by reading and learning from Psalm 119 is that David did not make a distinction between God and God’s word. In other words, as much as we see him humbling himself before God’s word he is in fact humbling Himself before God. In as much as he is delight, rejoicing, and loving the commands of the Lord, he is delighting in , rejoicing in, and loving the Lord!

Point: The word we delight in will reveal who we are delighting in.

Who’s word am I delighting in?

Who’s word am I rejoicing in? Who’s laws are the standard for my life? (Bring out a level) Who’s testimonies am I believing for the plumb line of my life? Who’s commands matter the most to me? Who’s words do I long for, so I celebrate, have the most influence on the way I think, feel, and act?

I want to conclude our time this morning by responding together by reading a declaration from God’s word about God’s word. (Please Stand) (On Screen)

God’s Word

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction, and training in righteousness,

So that the man of God man be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

The word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, and joints and marrow;

It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

The unfolding of your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple.

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